adminDolphin Trip 2018: A boost for the body and soul
Do you recognise that moment when you arrive at a place, and all worries suddenly seem very far away, as if you’re given the chance to reinvent yourself on the spot? It may sound familiar to you or maybe extremely bizarre, but whatever the case, picture a spot where your mind can wander off all it wants, and where you feel a hundred percent at ease with yourself and your surroundings. One of those spots, for me, is somewhere in the middle of the crystal clear Egyptian Red Sea, on a boat, far away from any internet or mobile connection.
A few weeks before the start of the dolphin experience 2018, I received a call with the question whether I was interested to join and participate as an observant reporter. A proposal I do not get every day, so my answer was a prompt ‘yes’. Three weeks later, I found myself at Brussels airport with a group of people I had never met before, checking in for a five-hour flight to Marsa Alam, Egypt. I had no idea what to expect, and never having spent more than one night on a boat, I was even scared I would get bored after two days, as we would be three hours away from the mainland. But nothing was further from the truth.
DIFFERENT RHYTHM
From the moment we arrived on the boat, it was as if we had already known each other for years, and had not just met a few hours earlier that day. Worries were instantly thrown overboard, and a day of travelling was rewarded with a delicious, fresh dinner, the first of many. As tired as everyone was that first night, as energetic we all woke up the next morning. Straight away it became clear that life on a boat follows a different rhythm. There was no need for an alarm – the sunrise would kiss us good morning and instantly put a peaceful smile on our faces at 6 am. And that would be the start of our day for the next seven days.
Each day would be fairly similar but very different at the same time. Generally, we would get up at our own pace or be woken up by a bell that notified us of the arrival of the dolphins in the reef. That was our queue to get our snorkelling gear ready, jump on the zodiac and then into the water, to join the dolphins during their playful morning routine. As the day went by, we would repeat this another two or three times. And although it might seem repetitive and less exciting after a while, every single time I was preparing my gear to be dropped in a sea of dolphins, I was as excited as if it were the very first time. Sometimes there were only fifteen of them, other times they were almost a hundred; at times they were fairly ignorant of their human companions, at others they would swim straight towards you, and watch your every move, making circles around you and inviting you to play with them. And let me assure you, it is a magical feeling when a dolphin is looking you in the eyes from thirty centimetres up close; as if he’s looking right through you or can read your mind. And there is nothing else that you can think of or do, but let yourself be guided by this beautiful creature of the sea, and let it cast its spell on you.
SELF-COACHING
Days on the boat, however, consisted of more than dolphins or snorkelling – and even diving!. At the start of the trip, all participants received a box of coaching cards with questions, along with a small notebook. The objective was – for those who wanted – to write down your personal answers to the questions throughout the week, as some sort of self-coaching. Anytime of the day, we had the possibility to talk about our answers with the coaches on the boat, but also this was not obligatory. And indeed, at tranquil moments, some of us would find their favourite spot on the boat to reflect about these cards, while others would rather involve in deep conversations with one of the two coaches or even with fellow participants.
YOGA
At sunset, when the sun was casting its orange glow on the water, all of us would gather on the upper deck of the boat for a yoga session. At times, these sessions could become quite intense and even emotional, but when a person of the group was having a hard time, the others – and the coaches – would always be there to get him or her through the session. And this only strengthened the atmosphere within the group.
HEALTHY FOOD
And if all that was not enough already, the fresh food we were being served five times a day (breakfast-lunch-dinner and two snacks) was above all expectations. It was healthy, diverse and meticulously prepared by an Egyptian cook who surely knew the hang of his profession.
DETOX
In short, the dolphin experience was one-of-a-kind and surprised me in many ways. I was able to disconnect technologically, and at the same time connect emotionally and intellectually with others and myself. I forged friendships, reflected upon what keeps me busy or worried ashore, learnt about myself and got to find a lot of answers to questions I had not even asked myself before. Everyone had their reason to be there. Whatever this reason was – whether it was to find answers or look for an escape, or maybe just to relax and take some time off from the busy life ashore – all of it was fine. Nothing was obligatory. Each of us, all totally different individuals with a different background and vision, got something different out of it. The experience was intense, but most of all very interesting, satisfying and unique.
Written by Laura Vermeire
